Hoima, Uganda — The State House has stepped in to address the illegal eviction of more than 5,000 families in Hoima district, amidst a longstanding land dispute.
The affected families hail from the villages of Kabatindule in Kisukuma Parish, Kisukuma Sub-county, and Hanga and Lengu in Bombo Sub-county. The contested land spans five square miles.
Since 2017, these families have been embroiled in a feud with Kasigwa Byenkya, who claims ownership of the land. According to the residents, they have occupied the disputed land since the 1940s, and they are calling on the government to halt Byenkya’s eviction attempts.
Uganda Radio Network (URN) reports that Byenkya acquired a title for the land in 1986. However, the residents accuse him of obtaining the title illegally and fraudulently. They allege that Byenkya is attempting to seize their land using the dubious title.
Godfrey Chomondo, a leader among the affected residents, petitioned the State House’s legal department in April this year, seeking intervention. The residents, who have lived on the land for nearly eight decades, are questioning the legitimacy of Byenkya’s title and the circumstances under which it was acquired.
In response to the residents’ plea, State House has initiated actions to address the situation and ensure that the families are not unlawfully evicted from their homes.
In a letter dated 5th May 2024, signed by Flora Kincoco, the Principal Private Secretary to the President, and addressed to the Resident District Commissioner -RDC Hoima, the legal department of State House indicates that they received a petition against the illegal eviction of the residents from their ancestral land.
“The legal department State House received a petition from Chomondo Godfrey and Mpanga Tadeo petitioning His Excellency the President against illegal eviction from their land. The purpose of this letter is to request you to attend a locus meeting on 20th June at 11:00 a.m. before Counsel Natasha Akatukunda and Counsel Norah Kenyena to discuss the way forward. Kindly carry with you all the necessary documents that will aid in the course of the meeting,”Reads the letter.
The letter is copied to the District Police Commander-DPC Hoima, District Internal Security Officer-DISO Hoima, LCV Hoima, GISO Bombo sub-county, District staff surveyor, LC3 Chairperson Bombo among others.
Albert Akenda 60, a resident of Lenju village says, he is happy that State House has intervened in the land saga stating that, he was born and raised on the contested piece of land.
Pius Ozeki, another resident says, they have been living in fear since 2017 tasking the legal department of the State House to thoroughly investigate how Byenkya acquired a title for the said land without their consent.
Jackline Kawambe, 70, a resident of Kabatundule village says that she has been a resident of the contested land since her childhood and was shocked in 2017 when Byenkya raided the area and demanded that they vacate the land.
In 2017, Residents of Lenju LC 1 in Kigorobya Sub County in Hoima district protested the heavy deployment of Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF soldiers on their land.
They then questioned how the soldiers were deployed on their land.
The soldiers blocked residents from accessing their gardens. The soldiers were later taken away during the night hours following a protest by the residents.
URN